phade

While I see where you are coming from - the biggest whiff is that it isn't about the land...it's about the deer, which are not owned by the landowner. You can shoot an xbow all you want on your land right now. It's when it's used in a hunting context on deer that is in question in this thread. Again, I get your drift, but the situation changes when you are flinging it a deer.

It's one thing to have 10 trees butted up to one another. It's another to have 10 trees spread on each of the far corners of your property. One concentrates deer, the other disperses it. A wide expansive oak flat does what for the hunter? Nothing...other than to say they'll be in this 100 yd by 500 yd area munching on acorns - eating here, eating there, and you rely on luck. Luck. LUCK. A big giant, old gnarly white oak tougher than Doc's goats that outlasted Mother Nature's elements and drops a respectable crop of acorns while all of the other young, pansy oaks lost their crop before drop - well, that tells me the deer will be using the resource of a very specific spot. You can play the guessing game and bounce around, or you can just go in and kill the buck. For situations when you have bumper crops...pick the best quality tree in the best huntable spot and release it and fertilize and spray it properly - leaving the rest be. Set up a stand. Hunt that tree. Deer tend to opt for the acorns or apples that are of the best quality. As time wears on, they'll head for that tree first.

Wooly, I'm not quite sure why more hunters don't know this, but there have been quite a few studies of pen and large area high fence (ie Texas) deer that show once a buck hits, I believe 3.5, he will shed roughly around the same time of the calendar year within 3-5 days each year. Obviously, the difference between wild and pen deer abound, but interestingly, the bucks in the study shed variously when under that time frame (ie 1.5 or 2.5). I think that variation gives credit to the likeliehood it happens in the wild, because younger and senior deer are susceptible to stress quicker/earlier. I'm not a firm 100% believer of CA's theories, but he has published a few articles on in it D&DH over the years I believe. I think this one holds water in the wild to some degree. I believe one of the "studies" CA did was on a NY property that was expansive, free ranging with good food and cover, but zero hunting and he was able to observe deer daily to note drops. Same property where he watched a mature-in-the-prime buck die from rut stress.

My experience differs. In poor acron and apple seasons - you find the one that is producing. Invariably there will be one - maybe not on your ground - but there will be - and maybe that is the problem. Maybe look at planting apples where you can protect them or give current ones some shelter of some sort. The fewer the producing trees, the easier it is to hunt them. Instead of 100 white oaks, you only have to worry about 5..or 2...or 10. Same with apples. I had two trees on my lease produce out of 10+ and they were magnets. And, within a circular mile, I bet there are 50,000+ commerical apples trees around my lease. Probably more.

Although I understand the penchant for wanting bumper apple and oak crops to help deer, etc. I know deer get by just fine for the most part if there were minimal apples and minimal acorns (in my area thanks to the heavy ag). Having said that, I highly, strongly, 10000000000000% prefer years where we have poor apple and or acorn crops. Makes hunting and patterning deer much easier. Nothing much worse than having to deal with a large wide acorn flat expanse with trees bent over from production or apples trees on every corner loaded to the ground.

Frost seeded some red clover (and some left over Landino) on a 1/3 acre area...was likley once farmed, but hasn't been in quite a few years. Not a ton of tall grass there, but got it in with a few snow/melt cycles. More or less an experiment as the plot will be prepped for fall planting of brassica/radish...unless this goes ganbuster on the small chance. Obviously it won't be a great stand so new, but any growth would incline me to keep part of it.

At one point or another everyone in here has been called elitist or selfish. And, it has been 100% true all the way around. Quite frankly, call me elitist. I don't care, because I agree. Doesn't make my, or anyone's viewpoints any less valid.

They dropped?

Also found a fresh shed at base of my stand mz weekend.

Saw one 120" with both sides this week.

A guy who works for a farm that I can hunt on has one attached to a trailer...moves that thing around. Unreal...I guess it works, but dang.

8H I think they'll be ok as long as the snowfall doesn't stack up. I think snowfall is more of an issue than the temps halting green-up. If there is bare ground (or patches here and there, you know what I mean), then they'll be fine. Some fawn die off is acceptable...it happens every winter regardless of severity...just the way of nature. That's why some biologists support fawn harvesting in hunting season for some management plans as they are most likely to die-off, so less resources they consume are left for those more likely to survive.

I don't think it has been too bad overall. Deer seem in good shape. I have noticed more deer-car accidents in my immediate location - but they all seem to be in very good shape thus far. I actually think the doe population may be "rebounding" as going into last season was a bit lower doe numbers - even though they are like rats here...Not seeing as many bucks as I normally do (glassing with binos and spotter) - they may have been hammered more so than normal.

I'm inclined to think this is the best compromis givent he current state, with maybe adding the private land distinction - quite a few states have differing private vs. public rules and I think that would be OK to add in here, too.

Is the cheapest raffle ticket $100? I see on the pdf it notes $20, but no place for that option. How many of you are dragging the better half? I may talk to mine about going.

Anyone heading out of state this upcoming year? I'll hit Ohio as usual, but haven't put as much effort into my out of state hunting as I normally do, with so much work to be done here in NY. Normally, I have one or two scouting trips to Ohio in March/April. No trips this season, so could be tough come fall.

No, but a company not showing up tells me something. Legit or not, I saw no reference as to why they didn't show up, either, and I have them on my FB page.

Tarsal staining is indeed heavy, but wow, looks like a 1.5 to me. I'd 75% 1.5 25% 2.5 on the chance he was a late born fawn, which effects can drag out to the 2.5 timeframe on occassion.

Natural blinds have their uses. I do 80 of my prehung and blind work in late winter and spring.

I was extremely disappointed that they committed to the bowhunting super show and then no showed, with their booth space empty. I was looking forward to shooting them, only line that interests me beyond my z28s. Not so sure id buy now.

I did that just for posting sake.

9505XXXXXXXXXX543 Priority Mail® Out for Delivery March 20, 2013, 8:17 am SPRING CITY, PA 19475 Expected Delivery By: March 20, 2013 USPS Tracking / Delivery Confirmation™ Sorting Complete March 20, 2013, 8:07 am SPRING CITY, PA 19475 Arrival at Post Office March 20, 2013, 7:59 am SPRING CITY, PA 19475 Depart USPS Sort Facility March 20, 2013 SOUTHEASTERN, PA 19399 Processed through USPS Sort Facility March 20, 2013, 12:41 am SOUTHEASTERN, PA 19399 Depart USPS Sort Facility March 18, 2013 LOS ANGELES, CA 90052 Processed through USPS Sort Facility March 17, 2013, 11:00 pm LOS ANGELES, CA 90052 Depart USPS Sort Facility March 17, 2013 ROCHESTER, NY 14606 Processed at USPS Origin Sort Facility March 16, 2013, 9:26 pm ROCHESTER, NY 14606 Dispatched to Sort Facility March 16, 2013, 4:46 pm NEWARK, NY 14513 Acceptance March 16, 2013, 9:55 am NEWARK, NY 14513 Package shipped Saturday and should have been there Monday. See anything wrong with the process? LOL. Delivery was for Spring City, PA.

It is working now!

I guess zero, because I cannot see attachments, as has been the case for almost a week. Getting to the point it's impacting how often I visit here.

Listened to a few gobbles off the back deck. I can hunt the 60 acres behind the house for them, but others do too. I try to get a stab at them right away before the whackos come in and overcall. I simply do not have enough nearby place. I have 3, but all are small. 60, 40 (of which they only hang on about 15 of it), and 25 of which mayb 5 is used by the turkey cutting across the proeprty. Have another good chunk, but it is 1.5 hours away and not really feasible cost wise. I usually do try a public land hunt or two, but up here it's not like having the acreage and hunters spread out to run and gun without messing up others or having your hunts messed up.